New season of shows unveiled at the Customs House

Vicki Newman

A South Tyneside theatre is welcoming a host of new shows for the new year.

Comedy, drama and music is coming to the Customs House, in South Shields, as it launches its new season.

The Customs House has announced a new line-up for 2016. Dial M For Murder.

Hit pantomime Alice in Wonderland has now ended at the Mill Dam venue, and staff are gearing up for a new programme of events, with Joe McElderry, Jason Cook’s February Comedy Club and ballet Snow Queen all but sold out.

Customs House executive director, Ray Spencer, said: “2016 is already shaping up to be an exciting year.

“The programme is as full and varied as it’s ever been with lots of shows I’m personally excited to see and lots of shows I’m thrilled to be bringing to the Customs House stage.

“We are very lucky to have a little space in the hearts of some of our home-grown talent who continue to come back to us, Joe McElderry is even taking time out of his Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat Tour to make time to come home and Jason Cook is performing three times, once as part of The Geordie Rat Pack and with his popular Comedy Club in February and April.”

The programme is as full and varied as it’s ever been with lots of shows I’m personally excited to see and lots of shows I’m thrilled to be bringing to the Customs House stage.

Ray Spencer

Other live music this season, include The Savannah Jazz Band in January, A Viennese Strauss Gala in February, The Customs House Big Band in March and local stars including The Waiters in Music Fest in April.

A host of tribute acts are set to performing, including AntMUSIC, Buddy Holly A Legend Reborn, ELO Again, The Bee Gees Story, The Piano Man, nostalgia show All Our Yesterdays, And Finally…Phil Collins, Motown show Unforgettable and direct from the West End, The Simon & Garfunkel Story.

As well as homegrown drama Dance Across the Tyne, the theatre has some touring shows including the award-winning Nelson The Sailor’s Story in April, West-End hit Stones in his Pocket in March, whodunit favourite Dial M for Murder in February and GK Chesterton’s Father Brown in April.

The theatre also have two stars from hit BBC comedies in April. Patricia Routledge, best known for her role as Hyacinth Bucket in Keeping Up Appearances and Sue Hodge who played Mimi in ‘Allo ‘Allo.

The Customs House has announced a new line-up for 2016. Father Brown.

Children are being invited to bring their teddy bears along to Frogs and Snails and Teddy Bear Tales later this month, the return of panto star Luke Maddison in The Rabbit’s Tail in February and the Australian tale How the Koala Learnt to Hug in April.

The venue will also see the return of the South Tyneside International Magic Festival, ballet The Snow Queen, an afternoon with local historian and former Gazette writer Janis Blower, LDN Wrestling, celebrating International Women’s Day with Strong Women, taking a trip down memory lane with Men of the Tyne, and retired murder squad detective Trevor Marriott is back with a new show UK’s Worst Serial Killer.

For more information or to book tickets, go to www.customshouse.co.uk or call 0191 454 1234.